Improvement in automatic props for piano or other lids



D..P. RAMSD'ELL.

AUTOMATIC PROPS FOR PIANO OR OTHER LIDS. No'.175 ,378. Patented March 28,1876.

N. PETER; PNOTD-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, n c

DANIEL P. BAMSDELL, OF NEW HAVEN, QONNEOTIOUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF HIS RIGHT TO TEACHER B. CARPENTER, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC PROPS FOR PIAN O OR OTHER LIDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,378, dated March 28, 1876; application filed May 13, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DANIEL P. RAMSDELL, of the city and county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic -which are automatic in their action on opening and closing the lids of pianos, and consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In Figures 1 and 2, the letter A indicates portions of the ends of piano-cases to which the props are attached.

The piece D, Fig. 1, to which the prop B, Fig. 2, is fastened by a screw, is operated by the spring F, and is a new element in automatic props. It is a piece of metal, the outline of which is made to conform to the larger and lower end of a prop, or, to save metal, its lower edge may be made to correspond with the lower edge of the prop in shape, and its upper part cut away as much as possible. It is made with the straight slot m, of about half the length of the piece, extending each way from its center in the direction of its length and in its central line. The front side of the piece around the slot m is beveled to its lower edge to let in the head of the screw or stud 0 even with its front side. It is also made with the projection or stud a,

into which the screw 1', Fig. 2, holding the prop to the piece, enters, and with the projection on its lower edge, into which the notch n is cut. This piece D is fastened to the end of the piano by the screw 0 on its inside, which serves the double purpose of screw and stud. The prop B, Fig. 2, is fastened to the piece D by the screwi and, it needed, by steady-pins. The spring F is made of wire or, preferably, of sheet-steel, and has an eye formed on one end, through which the screw 00 passes into the case of the piano and holds the spring. The other end is also turned and forms a smaller eye or enlargement, which fits in the notch 11. in the piece D. The spring F is free to turn on the screw 00, and is made in the shape shown in the drawing.

Thus constructed and arranged, the operation of these parts is readily understood. In Fig. 1 the piece D is shown in the position in which it is held by the prop B and the lid, when the lid is closed. When in this position, the end of the spring F in the notch n is between the end of the piece D to be raised and the screw and fulcrum 0, and as the lid is raised the spring forces up the piece D, carrying the prop with it to the position shown by the broken lines, where it is stopped by the pin 3 As the weight of the lid comes on the end of the prop, it forces the prop B and the piece D downward the length of the slot m. In' this position of the piece D the force of the spring tends to force the piece D to the position shown by the dotted lines, but the friction between the end of the prop B and the lid overcomes the force of the'spring and holds the prop and piece D in the position shown by the broken lines, changed only by its downward motion the length of the slot m. As soon as the lid is raised and the friction removed, the piece D takes the position shown by the dotted lines, carrying the prop with it. In this position the piece D comes against the spring F, and, as the lid closes, it comes upon the prop and forces it and the spring downward, while the spring turns on the screw as and brings, operating with the closing lid, the piece D to the position shown. In these movements of the piece D the spring F has taken the position shown by the broken and also by the position shown by the dotted lines. The prop may be made in part of metal and in part of wood, or wholly of either material, or of rubber, if desired. The base may also be incased so as to secure the working parts of the device from observation.

I claim as my invention 1. An automatic prop, consisting essentially spring F, made with eyes on its ends, as described, and formed and arranged to operate the slotted piece D, substantially in the manner described.

DANIEL P. RAMSDELL Witnesses:

GEORGE TERRY, ROGER M. SHERMAN. 

